Hand bag frame and latch means therefor



May 9, 1933. E, POETER HAND BAG FRAME AND" LATCH MEANS THEREFOR Filed Nov. 17, 1931 INVENTOR fiZ/Wili P061592" 5 KM M ATTORNEY Patented May 9, 1933 UNrren srAres PATENT oFFIcE EDWARD PORTER, OF IRVINGTON, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO E. POETER & CO., OF IRVINGTON,NEVI JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW" JERSEY HAND BAG- FRAME AND LATCH MEANS THEREFOR Application filed November 17, 1931. Serial No. '15,553.

This invention relates to hand bag frames and latch means therefor, and has for one of its important ObjQCtS to provide a frame of the type having complementary frame mem 5 hers provided with outwardly opening channels therein to receive the bag or pouch material, in which the inner wall of one of the frame members is provided on its outer edge with a continuous transversely projecting flange adapted to overlap the outer edge of the inner wall of the other frame member when said frame members are in closed position, thereby effectively concealing any space or gap between the frame members and enhancing the ornamental appearance of the bag.

It is also another object of the invention to provide means for limiting the movement of the frame members towards each other to closed position, thereby preventing severe frictional contact of the edge of said flange with the flexible bag material to obviate marring or injury to the same.

I It is also an additional object of the invention to provide the overlapping flange of one frame member with a downwardly extending latch element and the inner wall of the other frame member with a transversely projecting cooperating latch element, whereby when the bag is closed, said latching elements are wholly concealed by said overlapping flange,

Another object of the invention in one embodiment thereof is to provide a novel form of latch means for the frame members which may consist essentially of a longitudinally shift-able ornamental trim piece mounted upon said overlapping flange, and carrying a movable latching element projecting downwardly through a slot therein to cooperate with the transversely projecting element on the other frame member.

It is a further general object of my inventionto provide a hand bag frame and latch means therefor as above characterized which is simple and durable in its construction, may be produced at relatively low manufacturing cost, and enables such hand bags to be produced in a great variety of novel and or nament-al forms.

With the above and otherobjects in view, the invention consists in the improved hand bag frame and latch means therefor, aswill be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and

subsequently incorporated in the subjoined claims.

In the drawing wherein I have disclosed several simple and practical embodiments of my invention, and in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,-

Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section, the bag frame members being shown in unlatched open position; i

Fig. 2 is an end elevation;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on an enlarged scale taken substantially on the line 38 of Fig. 1 and showing the two frame members latched together in closed position;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view takensubstantially on line i-4 of l; I

Fig. 5 is a detail horizontal section take on the line 55 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is adetail vertical transverse sec tion showing a slightly modified form ofthe device. V r i Referring in detail to the drawing, 5 and 6 respectively indicate two bag frame members which may be of any desired general outline configuration and are hingedly connected with each other at their correspond ing ends, as indicated at 7. The frame member 6 is of the conventional inverted channel form having the continuous outwardly openmg channel indicated at 8 to recelve the top and upper side edge portions of one side wall of the pouch or bag which are fixedly channel shape type-having the outwardly material.

opening channel shown at 10 to receive the edges of the opposite side wall of the pouch or bag. The inner wall of this frame member is provided at its outer edge with a transversely extending flange 11 which is continuous between the hinged ends 7 of the frame member. Preferably, the part of this flange projecting from the horizontal intermediate portion of the frame member is of uniform width, said flange gradually tapering from. the ends of this horizontal section of the frame to its hinged ends 7 as clearly seen in the drawing.

At the juncture of the horizontal and vertical parts of the flange 11 at each end of the frame member and interiorly thereof, the stop lugs 12 are securely fixed. These stops may be of any desired form and are so positioned relative to the edge of the flange 11, that the inner wall of the other frame member 6, when in abutting engagement with these steps, will be disposed entirely beneath or within the flange 11 and will be concealed thereby. These stops also effectively prevent severe frictional pressure of the edge of the flange 11 against the bag material which is secured in the channel of the frame member 6, so that the surface of said material will not be rubbed or marred and rendered unsightly. I

There is suitably mounted upon the horizontal part of the flange 11 and extending downwardly therefrom, the latch pin or stud 13 with which the lug or hook 9 on the other frame member 6 co-operates to securely latch and hold the two frame members in their closed position.

While the latch pin 13 may be mounted on the frame member 5 in various ways, as herein shown, I secure this pin to a metal'strip 14 slidably engaged upon the upper surface of the horizontal part of the flange 11 for longitudinal movement relative thereto. This metal strip is secured by screws 15 within a longitudinal recess or channel 17 formed in the base of an ornamental trim strip 16. This trim strip may be of any desired composition material suitably colored in accordance with the coloring of the pouch or bag As herein shown, this trim is of semicylindrical form in cross section though, of course, it may be of various other desired ornamental shapes. Preferably, the metal strip 14 at its opposite ends has the upstanding ears or lugs 18 of corresponding cross sectional form to the strip 16 and closely engaged with the ends of the latter. To one of these cars, a finger plate 19 of suitable ornamental form is attached in any desired manner.

The latch pin 13 extends downwardly from the strip 14 through a slot 20 in the flange 11. The central part of the trim strip 16 is provided with a longitudinally extending cavity 21 therein housing the coil spring It will be evident from the above description that when it is desired to unlatch the frame members so that the bag may be opened, the finger plate 19 is grasped and the trim strip with the metal strip 14 is moved towards the right on flange 11, the screws 15 moving freely in the slots 26, thereby expanding the spring 22. Thus pin 13 is moved out of engagement with the hook or lug 9 on the frame member 5 so that the two frame members may be separated. The end of the hook 9 and one edge of the pin 13 have the usually properly beveled surfaces so that in closing the bag frame,

.the pin 13 and trim 16 ,will be shifted against the action of spring 22 until the end of the hook 9 passes beyond said pin, when the spring 22 returns the parts to their normal position, thus securely latching the frame members together.

It will be seen from reference to Figure 1 of the drawing, that my improved latch means for the handbag frame in no way interferes with the proper insertion and securing of the'edges of the bag material in the channel of the frame member 5. Since the outer walls of the two frame members are completely covered and concealed by the bag material, while the inner wall of the frame member 6 has its edge completely concealed by the flange 11 and the superinr .posed latch means on thisflange conceals the latter, substantially none of the metal parts will be visible when the bag is closed. Thus the ornamental appearance of the hand bag will be greatly enhanced.

In Fig. 6 of the drawing, I have shown a slightly modified form of a bag frame in which, in addition to the outer side frame members 5 and 6, an intermediate frame member 30 to which the edges of a central partition wall of fabric or other material is secured, is provided. This intermediate frame member, as herein shown, is formed from a metal strip, bent upon itself, to provide the inwardly opening channel 31 in which the edges of the partition wall of the bag are secured and the oppositely extending flanges 32 which respectively overlap and conceal the edges of the inner walls of the side frame members 5 and 6. The spaced channel walls 31 of the frame member 30 may constitute stops limiting the movement of the frame members 5 and 6 to their closed positions, or if desired, additional stop members for this purpose may SUI be suitably secured to the frame member 30. Various forms of latching devices might be provided for this type of bag frame which will readily suggest themselves to any skilled worker in the art.

From the foregoing description considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, the construction, manner of use and several advantages of my improved hand bag frame and latch means will be clearly understood. It will be seen that the bag frame structure, while of relatively simple form, provides means for materially increasing the ornamental appearance of hand bags of this type, and in addition, provides a desirable mounting and arrangement of the latching means for the complementary frame members which enables the coacting latch parts to be practically wholly concealed from view, while the operating means for the latch may be located at one end of the bag frame and combined with the ornamental trim for the bag frame member. It will, however, be apparent that although I have in detail herein disclosed a desirable type of latch operating means, various other mechanical means for this purpose might be employed. Accordingly, it is to be understood that in respect to such latch operating means and also as to the other essential features of my invention as herein disclosed, since the same might be embodied in other alternative structural forms, I reserve the privilege of resorting to all such legitimate changes therein as may be fairly embraced within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. A hand bag comprising complementary frame members hingedly connected at their corresponding ends, one of said members having an outwardly opening channel to receive the edges of the bag material, and a continuous flange extending from end to end of the other frame member and projecting transversely over the outer edge of the inner wall of the first member throughout its length when said frame members are in closed position.

2. A hand bag comprising complementary frame members hingedly connected at their corresponding ends, one of said members having an outwardly opening channel to receive the edges of the bag material, a continuous flange on the other frame member projecting transversely over the edge of the inner wall of the first member when said frame members are in closed position, and abutment means on one of said frame members engaged by the other frame member to limit the movement of said members towards each other and thereby position their opposed sides in spaced apart relation to determine the relation between the edge of said flange and'the inner wall of the first named frame member.

3. A hand bag comprising complementary frame members hingedly connected at their corresponding ends, one of said members having an outwardly opening channel to receive the edges of .the bag material, a continuous flange on the other frame member projecting transversely over the edge of the inner wall of the first member when said frame members are in closed position, abutment means on onefiof said frame members engaged by the other frame member to limit the movement of said members towards each other and thereby determine the relation between the edge of said flange and the inner wall of the first named frame member,

and cooperating .latch elements on said flange and ,thehinner' wall of the second named frame member to releasably hold said frame members in closed position.

' 4-. A hand bag frame comprising comple mentary frame members; hingedly connecte'd at thelr corresponding ends. and each having a continuous outwardly opening channel to receive the edges of the bag material, a transversely projecting flange extending continuously" along the outer edge of the inner wall of one ofsaid frame members fromendto end thereof to projectover and conceal the outer edge of the inner wall of the other frame member throughout its length when said members. are in closed pOSltlOIl." i

5. A hand bag frame COlIlPllSlIlfJ, complementaryframe' members hingedly 'conn-ectedat theircorresponding ends and each having a continuous outwardly opening channel to receivethe edges of the bag ma terial, a transverse yjprojecting flange extending contmuously -along the outer edge of the inner wall of'oneof said frame members to project over and conceal the outer of the inner wall of one of said frame memhere to project over and conceal the outer edge of the inner wall of the other frame member when said members are in closed position a latch element projecting downwardly from the said flange, an abutment means limiting the movement of said frame members towards each other to their closed position and determining the relation between the free edge of said flange and the inner wall of said second named frame member, and a latch element on the latter member projecting between said frame members and coacting with said first named latch element when said members are in closed position.

7. In combination with a hand bag frame comprising hingedly connected complemem tary frame members, one of said frame members having a continuous flange projecting transversely from one side thereof, an ornamental top trim for the latter frame member and means for mounting the same for longitudinal sliding movement upon said flange, a latching pin fixed to said trim and projecting downwardly through a slot in said flange, means yielding resisting shifting movement of said trim'in one direction relative to said flange, and a lug fixed to the other frame member and projecting inwardly therefrom between the frame members to cooperate with said latching pin and releasably hold said frame members in their closed positions.

8. A hand bag comprising complementary frame members hingedly connected at their corresponding ends, one of said members having an outwardly opening channel to receive the edges of'the bag material, a flange projecting transversely from r the other frame member and extending continuously between the hingedly connected ends of said frame members, and means for limiting the relative movement of said frame members towards each other to closed position whereby said fiange is disposed in overlying relation to the outer edge of the inner wall on said first named frame member to conceal the gap betweenthe inner sides of the frame members and prevent severe pressure contact of said flange on the bag material secured in the channel of said first named frame member.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signed my name hereto.

EDWARD POETER. 

